As we enter week 10 on the NFL season, people’s fantasy football teams have taken shape, for better or for worse. If you’re a Todd Gurley or Alvin Kamara owner, congrats on your future playoff matchup! However, if you’re a Leonard Fournette or Devonta Freeman owner, your team is probably looking as shambly as Nathan Peterman’s deep ball.
As many teams gear up for the playoffs, the waiver wire becomes a key place to find the missing piece for their roster. Remember Tim Hightower’s tear in the fantasy playoffs in 2015? With my help, maybe you will be able to find that missing piece that will take you to postseason glory.
Stock Up:
Duke Johnson Jr, RB, Cleveland Browns: After the firings of Hue Jackson and Tod Haley in Cleveland, it was unclear how any Browns players would play for the rest of the season. However, after their first game, with father-son duo of Greg and Blake Williams, it appears that Johnson received a significant boost.
Last week against the Chiefs, Johnson had his most successful day of the season, catching all 9 of his targets for 78 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Johnson had been very underutilized in Cleveland’s passing game thus far this season, but his role should increase going forward.
Stock Down:
Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions: Stafford has been amongst the most disappointing quarterbacks thus far this season, and it does not appear to be getting better for him any time soon. Stafford, who was started in nearly 50% of leagues on ESPN, posted a meager 6.6 points against Minnesota last week. Stafford’s poor performance dropped him down to the 20th ranked quarterback this season, behind the likes of Joe Flacco and Blake Bortles.
Stafford also faces a difficult schedule in his next four games before the fantasy playoffs begin. He plays the Bears pass defense twice, the Panthers, and the Rams, four matchups against teams in the top half of the NFL in pass defense. Look for better starting options for the rest of the regular season if you are currently relying on Stafford.
Waiver Wire Watch:
Jack Doyle, TE, Indianapolis Colts (owned in 40.4 percent of leagues): After being hurt for most of this season, Doyle finally returned in week 8 against the Oakland Raiders, posting 13 points in standard scoring that week. Coming off of the Colts’ bye this week, I expect Doyle to continue carving out his role in the Colts passing game. With Andrew Luck throwing 42.8 attempts per game this season, Doyle should see plenty of volume in a Colts offense without many talented pass catchers outside of T.Y. Hilton and Eric Ebron.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, Green Bay Packers (owned in 20.8 percent of leagues): With the news of teammate Geronimo Allison being placed on season-ending IR on Tuesday, Valdes-Scantling now finds himself with a significant role in the Packers offense. Valdes-Scantling, a fifth round pick in this year’s draft, has put up double digit fantasy points in standard scoring in each of the Packers’ past four games, and will only earn a greater target share after being thrusted into the starting line-up.